Fastening device



Bea-9, s. J. PODVINECZ ET AL 2,620,705

FASTENING DEVICE Filed Aug. 3, 1946 INVENTOR Jf'ep/ren J Padvmecz wl/l/am 1/. Papa BY 0 A ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 9, 1952 FAs'rENINGDEvicE Stephen J. Podvinecz, New Yul-Elana Williams.

f 1 Papa, Bayside, N. Y.; Dorothy-Parry Podviu ec'z v administratrix of said Stephen J. Podvinecz,1

deceased Application Au uste,ie4aseriaiirdesazee 4 Claims.

severe weather and other wear, these nails loosen all too frequently. Almost continuous maintenance is thus necessary if satisfactory service is to be obtained from such a structure.

It is, accordingly, a general object of our invention to provide an improved device for securing structural members together, such device imparting greater permanency to the structure formed by said members.

It is another object to provide an improved means for securely holding together a plurality of weather-exposed structural members substantially independent of the hot-and-cold and wetand-dry cycles of the weather.

A specific object isto provide an improved means for more permanently securing the structural members of a boardwalk, whereby reduced maintenance costs are obtained.

It is another specific object to provide means whereby the life and utility of existing boardwalk and similar weather-exposed structures may be extended, without the extensive use of new lumber.

It is a further object to provide an improved means for securing structural members together without exposing any of the securing means externally of the members secured thereby.

Other objects and various features of novelty and invention will be pointed out or will occur to those skilled in the art from a reading of following specification in conjunction with the drawings, in' which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary isometric view showing fastening devices of the invention as applied to the securing of boardwalk planks to a-supporting beam; v

Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are front-elevation, sideelevation, and plan .views, respectively, of the type of fastening device shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary isometric view showing a modified fastening device as applied to the securing of crosspieces to a pile pole, or other type column. Y 1 g Broadly speaking, our invention contemplates a fastening device having. 'a longitudinally extending-shank. Ai'first .p e'ng. member extends from the shank and generally. normal .tliereto, and two further prong'me'mbers extend from the shank in opposite directions which are" both generally normal to the shank and to the first prong member. The firstprong member is spaced along the shank from' the part with which the last two prong-member'sare formed. In the specific prelerrediorms to be described, the improved fasteners are each'formed from single pieces of sheet. metal, the prong members being provided with. wedge-shaped wood-piercing profiles.

Referring to Figs. 1 through 4 of the drawings, a preferred fastening device 5 is shown performing the function of securing a boardwalk plank 6 to a supporting beam member 1. A second similar fastener 8securesfadjacent planks 6 and 9 to each other and to the supporting beam 1. In the preferred form shown, the fastening devices are each formed froma' single piece of sheet metal. Each comprises a generally longitudinally extending shank portion In with two wood-piercing prong members H and I2 extending from one end thereof and a single woodpiercing prong member [3 extending from the other end. Prong members H and 12 preferably extend in opposite directions generally normal to the longitudinal axis of the shank l0, and the prong member l3 preferably extends normal to prong members H and I2 and to the longitudinal axis of shank I0. I

It will be seen that with the structure described, the prong members H and [2 may be utilized in the construction of a boardwalk to secure two adjacent planks to each other, while the prong memberv l3, off-set by the shank I0, is sunk into the supporting beam 1 to hold the planks down. In the form shown, each prong member is provided with a profile which will tend not only to assure an extremely tight initial shank I 0. For example, the upper edge of pron ll forms substantially a right angle with the shank axis, and the lower edge forms a markedly obtuse angle therewith. To assure permanency of fit the tips of these wedges may include barbs, as at M, which will clearly resist withdrawal of the fastener once it has been driven into a member to be secured.

In utilizing the fastener which has been described the lower prong member I3 is first driven into the support beam 1. If desired the fiat surface of prong 13 may be driven across or diagonally of the grain of the beam as shown for the case of the fastener in Fig. 1. Either before or after this operation the shank Ill may be bent as at 15 in order to bring the prong l l into position for driving entry into the stringer 6. It will be clear that, upon a proper selection of the point at which theprong I3 is driven into the beam 1, the shank will be substantially vertical when the prong II is fully driven into the plank 6. Prong l2 is then driven into the next plank (not shown) which will lie adjacent plank 6, and this operation may be performed by hammering the new plank so that it will slide along the top edge of beam 1 into its final place adjacent stringer 6. It willbe clear that in the described method of utilizing our improved fastenerthe pro les 9f the various prong membersserve to hold adjacentstringers against spreading from each other and also to clamp all planks. tight against the supporting beam'l. H

It will be apparent that with the device as described the space between adjacent planks will be determined by the thickness of the shank lfl. In many applications this space may prove insufe ficient to allow for proper drainage. In order to accomplish a desired spacing. spacer lugs l6 and I! may be formed from the same single piece of material asthe entire fastener. In theform shown, these spacer lugs -are bent from the shank H2 at points substantiallyopposite thosefro W ichpronss I l a t2' d-- I 1 Referring to Fig 5 we show an alternative arrangement in which a fastener i8, is ernploye d to secure two, parallel stringers l 9, and 20 to a supporting pole or other structural column .2 I. Elements ofthe fastener It will be recognized from the description of the simpler structure of Figs. 1 through 4., the difierence being that. in they fastener l8v the shank 22 is more extended so as to permit the provision OfMfurther wood-piercing prong members 23 and 24 at the extended end thereof. n use. it. w clear. a on m mber l3. may first be driven into the column or pole 2| and that the vertically extending outer prong members ti -412", and 23-24; may then be driven into the stringers which they support and secure- 'Againiif desired; spacer lugs may be provided as at 25. It will be noted that the wedgeand-locking action described above for the profiles of prong members H, l2, and l-3- (Figs. 1-4) is similarly effective for prong'members in the ar rangernent of Fig. 5. i

It will be clear that. We have. described relatively simple, easily fabricated devices for connecting and securing a plurality of structural members together. These devices not; only secure suchrnembersgbut also clamp them against each other'in suclr'a way that their fit is substantially unaifected by vveather and other wear, 'It should be notedthat since the stringer orplankengaging prongsenter the members to V be secured along surfaces not excessively exposed to wear,

tail for the preferred forms shown, it will be understood that modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a fastening device formed from a single vpiece of. sheet metal, a longitudinally extending substantially flat shank, a first point-tipped wood-piercing prong member extending generally normal to said shank and substantially in the plane of said shank, two point-tipped wood-piercingprong members laterally extending in opposite directions in a plane substantially perpendicular to the planevofsaidshank, said .prongmembers extending from. said shank rfdJati'a-slightly obtuse angle thereto, and a spacing member for each of said last-mentioned 'tw'o prong members to limit penetration thereof projecting from said shank generally parallel. to, and spaced from the prong member with which it so coa ct's r 2. In a fastenin device 'a longitudinallyextending shank, a point-tipped p'rong member-integral with said shank .and i'extendi'ng general-1y normal'to the longitudinal axis thereof fronra point substantially midway aIon glthe leng -th of said shank, two point-tipped prongmembers integrally formed with said shank and laterally extending from one end thereof opposite-directions that are generally. normal saidshank and to said first prO'IigQQand two further pointtipped prong meinher'sfuftegrally formed with said shank and laterally extending from the -opposite end of said shank-'inoppo'site directions that are generally normal tOsaidSh anK andto said first prong member.

3. In a fastening device formed integrally from a single piece of sheet metal, a longitudinally extending flat shankprovided with two'fiat pointtipped prong members laterally 'extendingin op posite directions fromlone or the enguiwisemar gins of the shankoffsetller igthwise of the shank with respect .to each other in aplaneperp'endicwlar to the pla'n'eof the shank, two. fiat spacing members for positively limiting the penetration of said prong members respectively'la'terally extending in opposite directions from the other 0f the lengthwise margins ofjthe shankoifset lengthwise of the shank withfres iect lto-eachlother-in a plane spaced from, and substantially. parallel to the plane of said prongmemberaanda third flat point-tipped prong member spaced from said first-mentioned two prong members.

4. In a fastening device. formed fromh is" f piece of sheet metal, a longitudinally-extending fiat shank provided at one endwith two. pointtipped laterally extendingv prong 'Inembersand a laterally extendingspacing member jfcreach f said two prong member to positivelyjlimitfpenetration thereof, one of said prong membersjand its i e spacing, member late a y. projectin from p i ss w se a eins ef; heshank in one direction generallv dispcsedgin parallel paced planes: p p nd f g erxi i he plane of fthe-.

shank, the other of said prong members and its ooacting spacing member laterally projecting from opposite lengthwise margins of the shank in a direction opposite to said first-mentioned direction generally disposed in said parallel spaced planes and offset lengthwise of the shank with respect to said first prong member and spacing member, and a third point-tipped prong member spaced from said first-mentioned two prong members.

STEPHEN J. PODVINECZ.

WILLIAM J. PAPA.

Number Date Brisley Mar. 14, 1876 20 Number Number 6 Name Date Heimmenway Mar. 4, 1884 Rordorf Nov. 19, 1895 Farrow Dec. 5, 1899 Ware June 13,1905 Washington Aug. 30, 1921 Kneeland May 8, 1923 Ballantine Jan. 27, 1925 Wendell Feb. 13, 1931 Ehle Mar. 19, 1935 Urbain Sept. 13, 1938 Putnam Nov. 1, 1938 Gisondi Aug. 3, 1943 Gisondi July 1, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Denmark Nov. 16, 1896 Great Britain Feb. 19, 1931 Australia Oct. 6, 1939 

